A Redneck's Willow
by alywood
Summary: After the farm falls, the group meets a young woman in a house. Why does Daryl keep looking at her? Are there secrets to her?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: A Redneck's Willow**

**Disclaimer: This is a fan story based in my mind as well as the hit tv show The Walking Dead. I have added my own characters and events; but have added lines from episodes of season three. There is no monetary gain from publishing this story. Thank you.**

**After the farm falls, the group meets a young woman in a house. Why does Daryl keep looking at her? Are there secrets to her?**

The winter is a horrid time in Georgia, especially once the power plants and generators were shut off. No heat to keep the air breathable, no way to cook food, except by fires.

But worst of all…

The dead were walking the earth during the cold winter. Any survivors would need others to watch their backs while collecting food and food in the Georgia woods.

**Chapter One**

_Willow's Point-of-view_

I must have fallen asleep; light was streaming in through the boarded windows of the living room and the small fire I did have was nothing but cold ash. Trying to stand to get another fire going caused nothing but my muscles to ache and the shivers to rack my entire body.

'It's too damn cold to do this much longer,' I thought, finally pushing myself into a standing position.

I heard a noise coming from outside; but it wasn't a noise that was normal during the zombie apocalypse. It was tires on a dirt road and a motorcycle. Who would be stupid enough to drive a motorcycle with zombies all over the place? Running to the closet in the hall, I curled into a tight ball and hid behind the coats.

'Just take what you want and leave. Just take what you want and leave,' I kept thinking as a mantra to keep calm.

_Daryl's Point-of-view_

Jumping off the bike, I wait for Rick and T-Dog before checking the handles of the door. Locked. So Rick just kicked the double doors in and the three of us went to work looking for walkers or survivors. Glenn and Maggie had gone around to the back door and were just starting to enter when I smelled the smoke that was still somewhat fresh in the air.

"Smell that?" I asked Rick quietly.

He nodded and we went our separate ways to find whoever was in the house. For some reason, my eyes looked at the coat closet. I stepped forward.

_Willow's_

Footsteps approaching are definitely not a good sign. I held my breath, but with my body shaking and my teeth that task is practically impossible. Trying to curl into a tighter ball, I wait for the inevitable.

_Daryl's_

Rick joined me while I stood in front of the closet. His hand reaches out and turns the knob and quickly pulls the door open. Light from the kitchen and living room flooded into the dark space, illuminating a woman's body.

A woman's body that was shivering, so she wasn't dead. Or at least, not fully dead.

Rick lowers his pistol and slowly kneels to her level.

"We're not going to hurt you," Rick said quietly.

I can hear T-dog going up the stairs to the second and third levels with someone else, maybe Glenn. Following his lead, I lower the crossbow and stand back a little, but not relaxed.

"Hey, you hear him?" I ask her.

The blue eyes that I see, is nothing I'm expecting.

"Take what you want," her voice cracking as she spoke.

Hearing the chattering teeth and seeing the blue tinge to her lips, I quickly reach into the closet and pull a coat off a hanger and pull back out of the closet.

"Get the others, Glenn. It's safe here," Rick orders from his spot when he hears the returning steps of the Asian and T-Dog.

"Come on out, we ain't gonna hurt you," I said quietly, not trying to scare the woman even further.

Rick takes a step back to stand next to me while we wait and see what she was going to do. Surprisingly, the girl stands up and uses the door frame to hold herself up. I can tell that she was freezing. The blue tinge of her lips is echoed in her fingernails of her hand that I can see.

"Here."

I hand her the coat and offer her my arm to assist her to the living room, but she declined the help. Heading to the room, I can hear everyone in there unloading their arms of their sleeping bags and pillows, maybe extra clothes too. But before I can enter, I feel a hand on my arm.

"Need to lock the doors somehow," she whispers to the floor, not looking me in the eye.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The group looked up to see Daryl standing with a mysterious woman in the doorway to the main entrance.

"Glenn, need a tie," he said while looking at the unknown person.

The group's runner tosses a double tie to the redneck, thinking it was for the girl, but widened his eyes when Daryl turned to the doors.

"Lucky for the double doors 'ere," he grumbled as he tightened the tie on the handles.

Lori and Rick were in the corner of the living room by the kitchen; their discussion looked like it was about to explode into a yelling match.

"Who is she?" she asked.

"She's been staying here. I promised we wouldn't hurt her."

"What if she attacks us?"

"She would have done it already."

"What's your name?" Carol inquired from the fireplace.

Willow didn't say anything. She just stepped back towards the wall in the hall. Daryl walked over to her and nudged her shoulder softly; silently telling her everything was going to be fine.

"Willow," she finally said moving slightly behind the redneck. "There's a pile of wood just outside the kitchen door. The stove is small, but you can use the fireplace just as well."

"How much food is here?" Maggie asked.

"Basement is stocked with canned goods. I've been here two weeks and there's still more than enough for every one for a month."

"Thank you," Carol said as she stepped forward. "I'm Carol."

"Nice to meet you."

"I'm Rick; this is my wife, Lori, and our son, Carl."

"Hershel; my daughters Maggie and Beth."

"T-Dog."

"Glenn."

"Daryl."

Willow looked at everyone as they were either introduced themselves or were introduced by someone else.

"If I may say something," Willow started, looking at Lori. "The couch folds out into a bed."

"Thank you," Lori replied coldly.

"Willow can you help me in the basement. I want your opinion on what to grab," Carol offered.

She nodded and led the way to the stairs.

Any weapons?" Rick asked Daryl when Willow disappeared.

"Only the axe for the wood, fire rod, and this," he said, holding up a flashlight. "Nothing that was close enough for her to use."

Hurried footsteps were heard coming up the stairs.

"Rick, you need to see this," Carol said quietly, looking between him and Daryl.


	3. Chapter 3

**_I'm going to be slowing down on the updates to once a week. I have only written a few chapters and need to work on the story a bit more. But please keep the comments and follows coming. Love you all ~alywood_  
**

**Chapter Three**

The basement wasn't just full of canned goods, but also weapons. And lots of them.

"Were you going to tell us about this?" Rick asked.

"I figured you would keep me in your sights. Plus, I've never used a gun before."

"Never? How the hell did you survive this long?" Daryl asked, shocked to hear Willow.

"I keep quiet, move quickly, and only use my dad's hunting knife," she replied, pointing to the empty blade sheath on her belt.

"Where's the knife?"

"Under a loose floorboard in front of the fireplace. I've been sleeping on the floor.

Rick looked at Daryl then back to Willow.

"If you're wondering if I'll attack you, I won't. You gave me your word, and I give you mine."

"Okay, Daryl grab whatever we can use, Guns, ammo, anything. We hide them from the others. Carol, grab some food, pillows, blankets. We're not going to stay here long if a herd passes by," Rick ordered.

"You an' I will put things in the cars in a bit," Daryl said to Carol who nodded in agreement.

Willow kept her back against the door jam with her eyes down casted. Rick walked up the stairs to speak with Glenn and the others. Carol looked over at Willow and smiled, picking up the tote bag to fill with the canned goods.

We'll grab some cans for tonight," she said.

"Anything but beans; getting' tired of only eatin' 'em," Daryl said while gathering everything on the weapon side of the room. "How did you find this place?" he asked Willow.

"Ran across it. No dead around, so I picked the lock; killed the dead inside," the young woman said quietly, still weary of the group.

"When was the last time you saw any survivors?" asked Carol.

"A while ago. When the initial outbreak hit, my cousin and I traveled together from Savannah. We met a large group within a couple of months. One night, the group got surrounded. Three of us survived and traveled."

"What happened?" Daryl questioned.

"One got scratched during a run for medicine; the other got ill." Willow looked between Daryl and Carol before stepping forward to the canned goods. "Here's something I haven't seen." She grabbed a large box off the shelf and opened it. "Dried fruits and meats. Here's the protein."

Carol handed Willow a couple cans and watched as the young woman climbed the stairs to the kitchen. Daryl and Carol followed a few minutes later with boxes and bags of the goods from the basement.


	4. Chapter 4

A redneck's willow chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"We won't get through the rest of winter with an extra mouth to feed and another person to keep alive," Lori argued with her husband in a whisper.

"Can't just let her survive on her own," he replied. "She's giving us pretty much everything in the basement. Food, blankets, survival items that we all need."

"She can kill us."

"But she won't. If it eases your mind, someone can stay by her."

Lori shakes her head; she hates the idea of bringing a new person in. However, Rick is the leader, and whatever he says goes.

"Put it to a vote then; see what the others say," she finally sighed, giving up.

Once the group was in the living room, front doors locked, fire burning lowly, Rick stood in the middle.

"I want Willow to join us," he stated.

"It's already hard enough to find food for us," Glenn said from the floor next to Maggie.

"Spring'll be here soon 'nough. Huntin' will be easier," Daryl argued against Glenn.

"No offense, Willow, but I'm not sure I can trust you. I mean, you've been in the house a couple of weeks without a gun, no group. How can we trust you?" Maggie inquired.

"I can hunt, set silent traps and kill in close proximity. My group was killed off, many by my hands before they turned. But I promise you that I will hold up my end of jobs."

"Anyone else before we vote?" Rick waited to see if anyone else wanted to speak their mind. "Let's vote. For?"

Rick, Daryl, Carol, T-Dog, Carl, Hershel, and Beth raised their hands; leaving Glenn, Maggie, and Lori on the 'no' side.

"For's have it."

Willow smiled slightly at this and looked at everyone.

"Let's get some sleep; I'll take first watch," Daryl said to everyone.

Lori and Carl pulled the sleeper out and got comfortable; Rick took the arm chair; Beth and Hershel had the love seat. Everyone else slept on bed mats and blankets on the floor; except for Willow.

"Get some sleep, Willow," Daryl growled quietly.

He sat on the stairs by the front door. The woman sat with her back against the wall, facing the redneck. She shrugged slightly.

"Haven't been able to sleep for a while now."

They spent hours in silence. Daryl looked over and saw the young woman shivering while sleeping. He got up, grabbed a blanket, and wrapped her in it.

"She'll need to be moved," Rick said as he took over.

Daryl nodded and picked Willow up before moving over to the fireplace. He sat down and pulled the young woman tightly against him to warm her up.


	5. Chapter 5

A redneck's willow

**Chapter Five**

Dawn brought the walkers. A small herd started to pass by the house. Rick woke everyone up, gathered their belongings, and rushed to the vehicles. Willow was pulled into the large blue truck by Rick and Carl.

"Thought you said this place was safe," Lori said angrily.

"It was. I don't know what's going on," Willow said as she watched the house shrink into the distance.

"We'll pull over in a bit and check the map," Rick said trying to ease the tension between Lori and Willow.

The vehicles stopped on the small country road to look at a map.

"I say we keep heading this way, it'll take us around the back way to this camp," Rick suggested to Daryl and Hershel.

"Wasn't it over run when we were there last?" Hershel questioned.

"The herd probably moved on this way, so this should be clear."

"Sounds good to me," Daryl said, turning to leave.

"Daryl, how do you feel about taking Willow with you?"

"Talk to Carol, I'll take either person."

Rick walked over to Carol, Lori, and Beth. Willow, he noticed was standing behind the blue truck, keeping watch.

"Carol, would you like to travel with Lori, Carl, and I?"

"Sure."

"Why are we catering to her?"

"We're not catering to her, Lori. I just don't want any arguments to erupt of nothing. Willow's going to travel with Daryl."

"Willow?" Carol called out.

"Yes, Carol?"

"Why don't you ride with Daryl for awhile?"

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, but you might want to get to the bike before you're riding with someone else."

"Thank you."

Willow jogged to the front of the convoy to Daryl and his motorcycle.

"Come on, get on," Daryl said as he straddled his seat.

Willow climbed on and grabbed the seat under her to hold on. Daryl had other ideas. He reached for her hands and placed them on his sides.

"Keep 'em 'ere. Better to keep track of you," he said in a serious tone.


	6. Chapter 6

_**I just want to thank everyone who has been commenting on this story. I'm trying to keep up on the updates and trying not to blush with everything that you guys say. So thank you, and here's another update.**_

A redneck's willow

**Chapter Six**

A few months passed, spring was in full swing. The group kept hopping from one house to another; trying to stay away from the small herds in the woods. Willow proved herself to everyone when she took on several walkers to give them a chance to escape a house. Well, proved herself to everyone but Lori.

"You're never going to accept her, are you?" Carol asked Lori in the red truck.

"Probably not."

They watched as Glenn came out of the house to get supplies and the others. No where was safe; so the group never unpacked too much. Blankets, bed mats, and a pillow.

Silence filled the air as everyone settled in the living room. Daryl sat on a wooden chair, plucking an owl he killed upstairs; Willow sat against the door frame to the kitchen. Within a couple of minutes, T-Dog whistles and looked out the window. Everyone grabbed their things and rushed out the kitchen door to get to their cars.

"We gotta fill up on water. We can boil it later," T-Dog said after deciding where to go.

"Knock your self out," replied Rick.

"She can't take much more of this movin' about," Hershel said quietly, talking about Lori.

"Well, what else can we do? Let her give birth on the run?"

"See a way around that?" Hershel asked before walking to the car.

"Hey, while the others wash their panties, let's go hunt. That owl didn't exactly hit the spot."

The pair walked into the woods, following the old train tracks. They came across the Georgia Penitentiary. Rick stood there figuring out if it would be possible to take a cell block, find ammo, medicine, and food. On the way back Rick made the final decision and said that they were going to take over a cell block.

"We found a new place. Let's get going," Rick ordered as everyone returned.

Willow hopped onto the bike with Daryl and they led the way to their new location. Through the woods a bit, a prison was seen.

"Here?"

"It'll be safe once we secure it," Daryl said softly before allowing Willow to get off the bike.

Everyone nodded and dashed across the field. Rick cut the chain link open, the group climbed through one-by-one. Getting to the vehicle main gate, the next phase needed to start.

"It's perfect. If we could shut that gate, prevent more from filling the yard, we could take the field by tonight," Rick said, looking a bit crazy.

"So, how do we shut the gate?" Hershel questioned.

"I'll do it. You guys cover me," suggested Glenn.

"No, it's a suicide run," Maggie stated.

"I'm the fastest," he argued.

"No; you, Maggie and Beth draw as many as you can over there. Pop 'em through the fence. Daryl, go back to the other tower. Carol, you've become a pretty good shot. Take your time; we don't have a lot of ammo to waste. Hershel, you and Carl take this tower," Rick ordered before Willow cut him off.

"I'll run for the gate," she said, pulling a pistol from her bag.

"Here." Rick reached into his gun bag and pulled a sniper's rifle out. "Take this too."

Rick joined Hershel and Carl in the guard tower. Glenn handed her a pair of clips to close the gate. Willow nodded to Lori for her to open the gate. Running up the path slowly, Willow shot at a few walkers. One walker fell with an arrow in its head. She nodded to Daryl before taking off again.

She dropped the pistol as she reached the gate, closing it, and clipped the lock into place. Picking the gun back up, she opened the tower door, killed two walkers, and climbed the stairs.

"She did it," Carol said, shocked.

"Light it up!" Daryl called to everyone.

Willow aimed the rifle and killed several walkers. But when she went to meet the group, she touched her side and found it wet. Blood covered her hand when she pulled it away.

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure."


	7. Chapter 7

A redneck's willow

**Chapter Seven**

"Were you scratched?" Lori asked.

"No walkers were close enough to her," Daryl chimed in, looking at the blood.

"A bullet graze, that's all it is," Hershel stated, looking at the young woman's side.

"Okay; while Hershel patches Willow up, we'll bring the vehicles into this entrance gate and gather some wood to cook something," Rick said with a smile.

Daryl lightly squeezed Willow's shoulder before leaving to fetch his bike. She lay down on Daryl's wrap and allowed Hershel to start his work.

"Just like mom used to make," Glenn said as he threw a bone into the darkened field.

"Tomorrow, we'll pull the bodies together. Wanna keep them away from that water. Now, if we could dig a canal under the fence, we'll have plenty of fresh water," T-Dog suggested.

Willow was lying on her non-injured side, using T-Dog's leg as a pillow.

"And if the soil is good, we could plant some seed. Grow some tomatoes, cucumbers, soy beans," Hershel said before looking up at Rick walking the fence line. "That's his third time around. If there was any weak part compromised, he would have found it by now."

Willow watched as Carol stood with a bowl of food. She faintly heard Beth telling Lori this wil perfect place for the baby.

"How're you feeling?" T-Dog asked while pushing Willow's hair away from her face.

"Good," she answered, keeping her eyes on Daryl and Carol.

"Bethy, sing _Partin' Glass _for me, please," Hershel asked his youngest.

She started to sing. Maggie joined in during the second verse. Daryl, Carol, and Rick rejoined the group during the song.

"Better all turn in. I'll take watch over there. Got a big day tomorrow," Rick said.

"What do you mean?" Glenn asked.

"Look, I know we're all exhausted," he started. "This was a great win, but we gotta push just a little bit more. Most of the walkers are dressed as guards and prisoners. Looks like this place fell pretty early. Could mean the supplies are in tact. They'll have an infirmary, conversary."

"An armory?" Daryl asked.

"It'll be outside the prisoner cells, but not too far away. Warden's office will have all the information on the location. Weapons, food, medicine. This could be a gold mine."

"We're dangerously low on ammo. We'll run out 'fore we make a dent," the doctor said.

"Well that's why we have to go in there. Hand-to-hand. And for all we've been through, we can handle it, I know it. These assholes don't stand a chance," Rick said before standing and walking away to start his shift.

Willow moved away from T-Dog to claim a small piece of dirt by the fire. Daryl laid down nearby; not close enough to touch, but enough to sense if something went wrong. He watched as Willow closed her eyes and fell to sleep.

In the morning, the group ate in silence.

"Don't use the guns. We'll fight in close quarters. No one leaves the group; protect each other's back. And always be on alert," Rick said to Glenn, Maggie, T-Dog, and Daryl. "You guys need to draw some of the walkers to the fence and pop 'em."

"Be careful," Carol told Daryl before Willow opened the gate.

With t he five inside the tables area between the cell blocks, the group went to work yelling and killing several walkers through the fence.

"What's going on?" Lori asked Carol after a couple of minutes.

"I don't know, I can't see them."

"They'll be fine; they're protecting each other," Beth said calmly.

Soon, Glenn returned to the gate to grab everyone and led them into Cell Block C.

"What do you think?" Rick asked, walking down the steps from the second level.

"Home sweet home," Glenn said sarcastically.

"For the time being."

"It's secure?" Lori questioned.

"This cell block is."

"What about the rest of the prison?" Hershel chimed in.

"In the morning, we'll find a cafeteria and infirmary."

"We sleep in the cells?" Beth asked.

"I found some keys on some guards; Daryl has a set too," Rick answered.

"I ain't sleepin' in no cage; I'll take the perch," Daryl stated as everyone picked their cells and bunks.

Willow watched as Carol and Lori climbed the stairs to the second level. Glenn and Maggie took a cell near the entrance. Beth and Hershel shared, and Carl took a cell to himself since Rick was still walking around. Willow walked to the last cell, away from everyone.

Daryl watched her move through the cell row until she reached the last cell. He knew that Willow always felt like an outcast, and everyone didn't help by not talking to her.


	8. Chapter 8

A redneck's willow

**Chapter Eight**

The morning arrived, everyone was asleep for the first time in months. Daryl was the first to look around and see everyone peaceful. He had to walk down the stairs to check on Willow, worried about the seclusion.

A blanket hung over the door, preventing the light and peering eyes to enter. But Daryl being who he is, moved the blanket aside. Willow laid on the floor under the bunks.

"Willow," he said quietly.

"What?"

"Why are you on the floor?"

"Because I wanted to. Why are you checking on me?"

"Wanted to see your side."

Willow moved into the open space of the cell, and stood looking at the redneck.

"I'm fine. Really. I can stretch and move."

"Don't over do it," he ordered. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Look, some of us will go into the rest of the block, make this place secure."

"I'll go too."

"No, we need to have one fighter here in case anything happens. Please, for this group," he begged, totally out of character.

She nodded, giving up on arguing. Sure, Willow understood Daryl's thinking; but she knew that if she was the only fighter, no one was going to watch her back.

"Use the spray paint to mark your turns," Willow suggested to Glenn.

Daryl walked over to Willow and nodded at her.

"Make it back in one piece," she said to him.

"Everyone will make it back."

"Carl. You're in charge, but listen to the others," Rick said, giving his son the keys.

The group consisting of Rick, Daryl, T-Dog, Glenn, Maggie, and Hershel left the cells and entered into the tombs of the block. Carl locked the door and the remaining group went about distracting themselves.

"Willow, can we talk?" Lori asked before the other woman walked away.

Willow nodded, walked up the stairs, and over to Lori. Lori sat on her bunk while Willow sat across from her at the small desk.

"You are a critical part of this group, Willow," Lori started. "I'm sorry that I've treated you so horribly."

"It wasn't that horribly; I mean I've endured worse than silent treatments and cold shoulders."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Lori." Willow looked at the windows across from the cells. "Wish I was with them."

"Wish this never happened. Life would be normal, taking Carl to school and friends; shopping."

"And the baby wouldn't grow up knowing only about fear and running; wouldn't have to struggle to survive."

Willow looked at Lori, and then stood.

"Come on, let's for a walk down stairs."

Lori nodded and gave a weak smile. The pair walked down the steps just as yells were heard.

"Open the door!"

In came Rick, pushing a cart with Hershel; Maggie and Glenn following closely.

"Lock it!"

"What happened?" Lori asked as Beth and Carol started to work.

"He was bit, had to save him."

"Where's the others?" Willow asked, moving to the door.

"Don't go over there!" Rick ordered. "T-Dog and Daryl are fine, just dealing with prisoners. Survivors."

He left Hershel in the care of Carol, Beth, and Lori; Willow stood against the wall, listening to Rick and the prisoners make a deal.

"We'll help you clear out your own cell block, in exchange fro half of the food and to never see any of you. Is that a deal we can agree on?"

"yeah, sounds good," Tomas said after looking at his group. "When do we do this?"

"Now."

Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog led Tomas, Andrew, Big Tiny, Oscar, and Axel to Cell Block B to help them clear it.

"Where's Carl?" Lori asked Willow.

"Said something about looking for supplies. There he is."

"Hey, look what I've found," he said joyfully.

"Don't go off like that anymore, okay?"

"I'm all right. Thought we could use this stuff," he argued, pulling gauze, alcohol, and other medical supplies out of his bag.

"Thank you, but your mom is right," Carol said accepting the bag. "I need your help," she whispered to Glenn.

"Rick said to stay with Hershel."

"I can help you, Carol," Willow spoke up.

"Alright. Carl, can I borrow your keys?"

"Sure." He handed them over and watched as Carol and Willow left the block after locking the door.

"What do you need help with?" Willow questioned when she and Carol started walking the dirt path.

"I need to know how to do a c-section if something happens to Hershel."

"Okay, which one do you want?"

"That one," Carol said, pointing at one of the walkers.

Willow nodded, drew it in close, and then stabbed her in the head. She pulled open part of the hole to drag the body in.

"I'll wait in the field; if you need help, just call me over."

Carol waited until Willow was gone before getting started to practice.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

When Willow and Carol returned to the cell block, they found Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog cleaning their weapons. Carol went straight to Daryl to make sure everything was good.

"What happened?" Willow asked the three.

"Helped clear out B-Block," replied T-Dog.

"Anything bad?"

"Nothing we couldn't handle," said Daryl.

Willow nodded and watched Carol talk quietly to Daryl. She turned and walked to her cell and closed everything out.

Hours later, Willow was lying awake in the cell. She wasn't put on watch rotation that night, but knew who would want sleep.

"Willow? What are you doing up?" Glenn asked in a whisper when she stood beside him.

"I'll take your shift."

"Why?"

"Because I feel so useless around here. Plus, I'm sure Maggie wants you beside her."

Glenn nodded, unsure of what Daryl will say in the morning; he was being relieved by him in four hours. Willow watched the Korean descendant return to his cell. Sitting on the floor, she heard someone shift in their sleep.

"Come 'ere," a hoarse whisper called out.

Daryl sat up slightly from his spot, looking at Willow.

"Forget it," she replied.

For some reason, her response pissed him off. He stood, walked down the steps, and knelt in front of her.

"What is it?" he asked.

"What?"

"Why are you up, taking over Glenn's watch? And why hide away from everyone?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"What about the second part?"

Willow didn't say anything; she only looked to the windows. Daryl saw something in the woman's eyes; an emotion he knows all too well from Carol.

Doubt.

"You're part of this group."

"Doesn't seem like it most of the time."

"I kept you off detail tonight; my choice." Willow looked at the man in front of her. "I did it because you're still healing. In my mind, you shouldn't work. Hell, I was ordered not to do anything for two days when I was injured."

"I can still take a shift. It's my side that hurts, not my eyes or ears."

"I'll give you a shift tomorrow," he grumbled.

Silence filled the air between the pair.

"Don't you ever sleep?" she asked a few minutes later.

"Nope."


	10. Chapter 10

**Happy Valentines day everyone! As a bonus, a second chapter this week. I would have posted on Sunday, but i was distracted by the ever amazing Daryl Dixon gracing my tv screen. But, thank you to every one who comments on the chapters. I promise you that i will make a dedication one of these days with all of your names. **

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter Ten**

Things seemed normal for several days. The group had spent the week gathering the corpses into the field. Now Rick, T-Dog, Daryl, Carol, and Willow stood in the field making a plan for gathering firewood and moving the vehicles in.

"Okay, let's get the other car in, park them in the west entry of the yard," Rick ordered.

"Good; vehicles camped out there looked like a giant vacancy sign," Daryl added.

"After that, we need to load up these corpses so we can burn them," Willow added grimly.

"Gonna be a long day," stated T-Dog.

"Where's Glenn and Maggie? We could use some help," Carol asked, looking around.

"In the guard tower," Daryl answered.

"The guard tower? They were just up there last night."

"Glenn!" Daryl called out. "Maggie!"

Glenn opened the observation deck door shirtless, zipping and buttoning his pants.

"Hey-hey what's up, guys?"

"You coming?" Daryl called.

"What?"

Rick, T-Dog, and Carol chuckled as Willow stood in shock.

"You coming? Come on, we can use a hand."

"Yeah, we'll be right down," Glenn called back.

As most of the group turned to the gate, T-Dog and Willow noticed Oscar and Axel approaching the field gate.

"Hey Rick," T-Dog said gaining the leader's attention.

"Come with me," he ordered the group. The group followed quickly. T-Dog stood mostly in front of Carol as Daryl stood in front of Willow. "That's close enough. We had an agreement."

"Please Mister, we know that." Axel looked over as Glenn and Maggie came out of the tower to stand behind him and Oscar. "We made the deal, but you gotta understand, we can't live in that place another minute, you follow me? All the bodies; people we knew. Blood, brains everywhere. There's ghosts."

"Why you move the bodies out?" Daryl questioned.

"You should be burnin' them," Willow said coldly.

"We tried, we did."

"The fence is down on the far side of the prison. Every time we drag a body out, those things just line up. Dropping the body and just running back inside," Oscar explained.

"Look, we had nothing to do with Tomas and Andrew. Nothing." Axel looked at Rick. "You trying to prove a point, well you proved it, bro. We'll do whatever it takes to be part of your group. Just please. Please don't make us live in that place."

"Our deal is non-negotiable. You either live in your cell block, or you leave."

"I told you this was a waste of time. They ain't no different that the pricks that shot up our boys. You know how many friends' corpses we had to drag out this week? Just threw them out like…" Oscar paused before continuing. "Those were good guys. Good guys that had our backs against the really bad dudes in the joint; like Tomas and Andrew. Now, we've all made mistakes to get in here, chief. And I'm not going to pretend I'm a saint, but believe me, we've paid our due; enough that we would rather hit that road than to go back into that shit hole."

Rick looked back to Daryl, who just shook his head. Instead of shoving Oscar and Axel away, Rick led them to the entrance gate. Daryl locked the two inside.

"Are you serious?" Rick asked T-Dog, who is on he prisoners' side. "You want them living in the cell next to you? They'll just be waiting for a chance to grab our weapons. You wanna go back to sleepin' with one eye open?"

"I never stopped. Bring them into the fold. But we send them off packing, we might as well execute them ourselves," he argued.

"I don't know. Axel seems a little unstable," Glenn said quietly.

"After all we've been through, we fought so hard for all of this; what if they decide to take it?" Carol asked.

"It's just been us for so long, they're strangers," Maggie started. "It feels weird all of a sudden having other people around."

"You brought us in," T-Dog stated.

"Yeah, but you turned up with a shot boy in your arms; didn't give us a choice," she responded.

"They can't even kill walkers," Glenn said.

"They're convicts, bottom line," Carol said.

"Those two might have less blood on their hands than we do," argued T-Dog.

"I get guys like this. Hell, I grew up with them," Daryl said. "They're degenerates, but they ain't psychos. I could have been in there with them just as easy I'm out here with you guys."

"So you with me?"

"Hell no. Let them take their chances out on the road just like we did."

"What I'm sayin', Daryl-"

"When I was a rookie, I arrested this kid, nineteen year old, wanted for stabbing his girlfriend. Kid blubbered like a baby during the interrogation, during the trial; suckered the jury. He was acquitted due to insufficient evidence. And two weeks later, he shot another girl. We've been through too much. Our deal with them stands."

"You're not going to say anything, Willow?" T-Dog asked angrily.

The group stopped and looked to the newest member. She stood back from the group, looking at each of them.

"You guys brought me in, I believe, because I didn't try and attack you. These guys did something to get in her for years. I'm all for sending them down the road."

"We'll get them supplies, enough for a week. We need to get the vehicles into the yard, facing the exit to get out quick," Rick said as he walked to the vehicles.

Daryl tossed his keys to Glenn before going to his bike.

"One cylinder, is that a Triumph?" Axel asked.

"Don't look at it." He slowly drove up the path to Willow. "Get on," he said to her.

Willow climbed on and held onto him as he led the vehicles into the yard. After parking, Daryl pulled her aside.

"Get a box together, I'll hand it to Glenn when I get my keys back."

She climbed into the blue truck and piled some supplies into a box for the prisoners. Handing the box to Daryl, she watched him walk over to Glenn

Several minutes later, Willow, T-Dog, Maggie, and Carol watched Hershel move around on crutches with help from Beth, Lori, and Carl.

Carl heard something behind them.

"Walkers!"

T-Dog, Maggie, Lori, Carl, Carol, and Willow pulled their guns and started to shoot the walkers. Beth led her father and Carol up the steps to B-Block's caged walk way.

Maggie called Carl and Lori into C-Block. T-Dog rushed towards the open gate between B-Block and the rest of the prison. Willow tried to cover him.

Using his belt, T-Dog closed and locked the gate. But since his hands were busy, he was bitten in the shoulder before he could turn around.

"No!" Willow yelled.

T-Dog ran towards Willow and led her into B-Block.

Outside, Rick, Daryl, and Glenn ran through the dog-run, the main gate, and the field to reach their group.

"Ready?"

"Pull it!"

Glenn and Daryl killed the walkers in the yard as Rick yelled up to Hershel, Carol, and Beth.

"What the hell happened?"

"The gate was open."

"Where's Lori, Carl, everyone else?"

"Maggie led Lori and Carl into C-Block," Carol answered.

"And T was bit," Beth added.

"Anyone else?"

"I couldn't tell."

"Stay put."

Rick joined Daryl and Glenn in the middle of the yard.

"Those chains didn't break on their own. Someone took an axe or cutters to 'em." Rick looked over to Oscar and Axel who had followed them up through the field. "You think they did it?"

"Who else?"

The riot alarms sounded. The trio took aim at the speakers to quiet the sound slightly.

"How the hell could this be happening?" Rick asked Oscar while pointing his gun at him.

"Whoa, it has to be the back up generators."

"Well how do you turn those on?"

"There's three that's connected to a diesel tank. Okay? Each one controls a certain part of the prison. The hat shut them all off when the prison was over run."

"Could someone open the main gates electronically with full power?"

"I-I-I don't know; it could be possible."

"Alright, come with us," Rick finally ordered while leading the group into C-Block.


	11. Chapter 11

**OMFG Last night was an amazing episode! Absolutely loved every minute of it! The actors and Kirkman didn't lie when they said that things will only heat up in the second half of the season. Now let's see what happens next week.**

**Major thanks to: TheAvidReader, Fuchsia. Grasshopper, greenstarlight0, loveorpain, and hayleyjune13 for reviewing almost every update! I love you all!**

**Chapter Eleven**

"I'm going to help you outta here," T-Dog said as he and Willow navigated the semi dark halls. "There's double doors leading back to our cell block."

But as they were about to round a corner, they discovered two walkers. T-Dog rushed around and pushed them against the wall.

"Go! Come on, get out of here!"

Willow ran down the hall toward him, then before running through the door, she looked back at him. A walker bit into his neck, causing a deep yell to erupt and echo through the halls.

"Turn it off!" Oscar yelled at Andrew.

Andrew, one of the prisoners who tried to kill Rick, was in the generator room.

"No. We can take back this prison!"

Andrew took aim at Rick, but was killed by Oscar who held Rick's gun. Rick thanked him then turned the power off, ending the alarms. The trio left the room and made their way through the halls looking for their group.

Rick, Daryl, and Oscar met back up with Glenn and Axel in B-Block. Rounding a corner, they killed two walkers eating T-Dog. Looking down, Daryl found Willow's over shirt that she had around her waist earlier that day. Rick led the group back outside.

"Hershel!"

"You didn't find them?" he asked.

"Thought maybe they back out here," Glenn said, breathing heavily.

"What about T or Willow?" Carol asked.

"They didn't make it," he bit out, not looking at her.

"That doesn't mean the others didn't. We're going back. Daryl and Glenn, we're go—"

Rick stops his order when he hears a baby fussing. Turning around, he sees Maggie carrying a new born and Carl follow behind. The truth finally settles in Rick's head that Lori was gone. He starts to cry; finally breaking down and collapse to the ground.

Willow kept running up and down stairs and hallways, killing walkers in her path. She finally made it to the tombs of C-Block, fighting her way into a cell. She stabbed a walker in the neck before holding the door closed until the noise died outside.

"Shit," she whispered as she tried to open the door.

The mass amounts of walkers probably caused a dead one to move in front of the door, trapping her inside.

"Let me see the baby," Hershel said.

"What are we gonna feed it? We got anything a baby can eat?" Daryl asked.

"The good news is she looks healthy; but she needs formula. And soon or she won't survive."

"No; no way. Not her. We ain't losin' nobody else. I'm going for a run."

"I'll back you up," Maggie said.

"I'll go too." Glenn added.

"Okay. Think where we're going. Beth," Daryl said, pulling the young Greene aside. "Kid just lost his mom, his dad ain't doing so hot."

"I'll look out for him."

"You two get the fence," Daryl called to Oscar and Axel. "Too many pile up, we got ourselves a problem. Glenn! Maggie! Vamanos!"

But as the group focused on the baby run, Rick grabbed his axe and ran into C-Block.

"Get the gate. Come on, we're gonna lose the light!" Daryl yelled.

"There's a PigglyWiggly down on eighty five," Glenn suggested.

"No, the baby station has been cleared. Lori asked for me to keep an eye out, I haven't had much luck," Maggie said.

"Is there any place else that hasn't been completely looted?"

"We saw signs for a shopping center just north of here," Glenn stated.

"Yeah, but there's too much debris on the road, a car will never get through there," Maggie said.

"I can take one of ya," said Daryl while pulling on his wrap.

"I'll go," said Maggie.

"No, Maggie; after everything you've been through; I'm okay, I'll go."

"I wanna go. For Lori, I have to."

"Okay," Glenn said, grabbing her backpack. "I love you. Be safe."


	12. Chapter 12

**In honor of my birthday yesterday, here's a chapter for all you die-hards out there! Enjoy and comment please.**

**Chapter Twelve**

Once Daryl and Maggie was gone, Glenn picked up a shovel and pick axe before walking into the field to make three graves.

'Three,' he thought with the first strike of the ground. 'We lost three good people.'

"There's a daycare center," Maggie indicated to the building.

Maggie pushed the fence open and Daryl closed it. Once Maggie broke the window, the pair entered and split up. Daryl found a doll while Maggie grabbed bottles and clothes. The pair heard some shuffling in the kitchen. Daryl aimed his bow at the cabinet while Maggie opened it.

"Hello dinner," Daryl said before grabbing the now dead possum.

"I'm not putting that in my bag."

By the time night fell, Glenn stood in the tower at the main gate with Oscar and Axel, looking for Daryl and Maggie.

"They're coming!" he called down

The gate opened, the cycle entered, then the gate closed behind. Daryl turned the bike off and jumped off. They ran into the cell block.

"How is she?" Daryl asked before taking the baby from Carl. Instantly, the infant became calm in his arms. Carol handed him a bottle. "Come on, come on." The infant started to suckle on the bottle. "She got a name yet?"

"N-not yet," Carl started. "I was thinkin' maybe Sophia," he said, looking at Carol. "Th-there's Willow, too." This caught Daryl's attention. "And Andrea, Amy, Jacqui, Patricia. Or Lori. I don't know."

"Yea, you like that? Huh?" Daryl talked to the baby in his arms. "Little Ass Kicker? Right? That's a good name, right?" he asked the group. "Little Ass Kicker, you like that, huh? You like that, sweetheart?"

For a bit, the group was happy watching the tough redneck hold and feed the baby. But as Little Ass Kicker fell asleep, Daryl took leadership and took watch.

Carol sat down across from Daryl, startling him slightly.

"Thought you were keeping watch," she whispered with a smile.

"I am."

"Everyone is going to be looking to you for leadership now."

"Figured as much." He paused as he looked through the windows to see the moon. "I'm going out early tomorrow; I'll be back in time for breakfast."

Carol nodded, knowing that Daryl wasn't going to say anything else; no matter how much she really wanted him to talk.

Daryl walked through the woods in the limited sun light. It couldn't be much later than five thirty in the morning. He didn't know what he was hunting for, but knew he would find it.

Several squirrels hung from a rope on his shoulder; but he still felt the need to find something. Daryl finally spotted a bush with white flowers with protruding yellow centers; Cherokee Roses. Willow didn't know the story of them, but figured since they represented hope, he would pick one.

'I'm sorry, Willow,' he thought as he placed the flower on the empty grave.

He felt that he failed in saving Willow; the only person besides Sophia and Merle he had fought to find. Merle could be dead, turned, or with survivors; Sophia was lost in the woods and was turned. Willow just disappeared in all the chaos.

"We're going to make a run this afternoon. Found a phonebook, some place we can hit to look for bullets and some formula," Glenn said to Rick during breakfast.

"Cleared out the generator room; Axel's there tryin' to fix it. In case of emergency. I wanna sweep the lower levels as well," Daryl added.

"Good. Good."

And with that, Rick left the group and returned to the boiler room. A short time later, Carl approached Daryl.

"Can I join you?"

"Sure, let's go."

The pair and Oscar walked through the halls with a flashlight, killing any walkers; which thankfully wasn't many.

"Check it out, man," Oscar said, noticing a moving cell door. "Must have missed it last night."

"It's probably just one or two of them. Don't look like they got much fight. They ain't goin' no where, we'll take care of it on the way back." He looks over to Carl before whistling to him. "Come on. You know, my mom, she liked her wine. She liked to smoke in bed. Virginia Slims. I was playing out with kids in the neighborhood; I could do that with Merle gone.

"They had bikes, I didn't. We heard sirens getting' louder. And they jumped on their bikes; ran after it, hoping to see somethin' worth seein'. I ran after 'em, but couldn't keep up. Ran around a corner, saw my friends lookin' at me. Hell, I saw everyone lookin' at me. Fire trucks everywhere. People from the neighborhood. It was my house they were there gfor. That was my mom in bed; burnt down to nothin'. That was the hard part. You know, she's just gone. Erased. Nothing left of her.

"People said it was better that way. Huh, I don't know; just made it seem like it wasn't real, you know?"

Daryl opened up to the young boy about his past for the first time.

"I shot my mom. She was out, hadn't turned yet. I ended it. It was real. I'm sorry about your mom," Carl said quietly.

"I'm sorry about yours. Come on."

They continued through the halls.

'How long was I asleep?'

Willow woke to see darkness, but knew her vision was working when she lightly pushed the door.

"There's not that many," a voice said from outside the cell.

Willow kept pushing the door open as far as she could, let it close, then push it open again. Finally the door pushed closed, the pressure released quickly, and she pushed back to open it.

"We'll take care of it on the way back," the same voice said.

'Daryl.'

"Oh, that's what I'm talkin' about," Oscar said before entering a cell. "Mmhmm, yeah buddy."

"The hell you need slippers for?" Daryl asked.

"You know, end of the day. Relax."

The trio hears the tale-tell gurgling noise of a walker. Oscar and Carl shot it several times before Daryl killed it with a bolt.

"Alright," he exhaled loudly.

"Must have been in the cell at the end."

Daryl shined his light on a knife handle in the thing's neck. Kneeling down, he grabbed and pulled the knife out.

"That's Willow's knife," he said a little shocked.

Daryl dragged the flat part of the blade across the walker's clothes to clean it. He led Oscar and Carl back to the captured walkers in the cell. Nodding his head, the pair disappeared back to the group's cells.

_ 'I keep quiet, move quickly, and only use my dad's hunting blade.'_

Daryl slid down the wall across from the cell; Willow's blade in his hand and her voice in his head.

_ 'You guys brought me."_

Daryl started to stab at the concrete floor. He failed. The door kept opening and closing, pissing him off each time.

Stab, readjust his grip.

_ Willow holding onto him._

Stab, readjust his grip.

_ Willow looking at the moon._

Stab.

_ Willow falling sleep in his arms._

Stab to the wall.

_ Willow in his arms._

Stab to the wall.

He stood, kicked the door, paced in front, then held the blade in his teeth, pulled the dead walker away from the door, and finally opened it.


	13. Chapter 13

**LOVE DARYL SO MUCH! Enjoy.**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Outside, Rick held his daughter for the first time. The mood changed quickly when he saw someone walk up to the fence with a basket of something. When Rick reached her, he noticed the baby formula.

The woman was injured and made the mistake of transferring her blood to the fence next to a walker.

"Should we help her?" Carl asked his dad.

But before Rick could answer, Carl watched the woman take down a couple walkers. He shot one as Rick opened the gate to grab her and the basket; Carl locked the gate and followed the group to the cell block.

"Is she bit?" Hershel asked.

"Gun shot." Rick picked her up and carried her to the block. "Carl, get a blanket. Beth: water and a towel."

Carl laid the blanket down by a chain link fence as quickly as he could. Rick starts to help her to the floor.

"She's not coming in the cell blocks," Rick stated. Taking the bottle of water, he pours some on her neck. "It's all right. Hey, hey. Look at me; look at me. Who are you? It's all right." The woman tries to grab her katana, but Rick pushes it away with his foot. "No. We're not gonna hurt you unless you try something stupid first. Alright?"

"Rick," Daryl called out while walking to the door of the cell room. "Who the hell is that?"

"You wanna tell us your name?" He waits. "You wanna tell us your name?"

"Y'all come on in here," Daryl said to the group.

"Everything all right?"

"You'll wanna see this," he replied.

"Go ahead. Carl, get the bag," Rick said; waiting until everyone left before speaking again. "We'll keep this safe and sound. The doors are all locked; you'll be safe here. We can treat that."

"Didn't ask for you for your help," she replied coldly.

"Doesn't matter. Can't let you leave."

Rick stands with the katana and enters the cell block. Daryl closes and locks the door, then leads the group to a cell halfway in the row. Looking inside, Rick sees Willow. He enters the cell and pulls her into a hug; followed by Hershel.

"Poor thing fought her way into a cell. Musta passed out dehydrated," Daryl said from the door.

Willow looks at Carol holding the newest member of the group, then back to Rick. All the answers were there on his face. She hugged the man with whatever strength she had left before turning to Carol and the baby.

A bit later, Rick led Daryl and Hershel into the tables area to talk with Michonne.

"We can tend to that wound for you. Give you a little food and water, then send you on your way. But you're gonna have to tell us how you found us; and why you were carrying formula," Rick said, standing in front of her.

"Supplies were dropped by a young Asian guy with a pretty girl."

"What happened?"

"Were they attacked?" Hershel asked.

"They were taken."

"Taken? By who?" Rick questioned.

"By the same son of a bitch who shot me."

"Hey, these are our people; you tell us what happened now."

Rick grabbed her leg that was injured, Michonne pulled away quickly as Daryl aimed at her.

"Don't you ever touch me again!"

"Better start talkin'; gonna have a much bigger problem than a gun shot wound," said Daryl.

"Find him yourself," she shot back.

Rick touches the crossbow then stands between Daryl and Michonne.

"You came here for a reason," Rick finally said calmly.

"There's a town; Woodbury. About seventy five survivors. I think they were taken there."

"A whole town?"

"It's run by this guy; calls himself 'the Governor'. Pretty boy. Charmin'. Jim Jones type."

"He got muscle?" Daryl asked.

"Private military wannabes. They got armed sentries on every wall."

"You know a way in?"

"Place is secure from walkers; but we could slip our way through."

"How'd you know how to get here?"

"They mentioned a prison. Said which direction it was in; said it was a straight shot."

"This is Hershel; father of the girl that was taken; he'll take care of that." Rick and Daryl returned to the rest, having a discussion at the end of the row.

"How do you know we can trust her?" Oscar questioned.

"This is Maggie and Glenn; why are we even debating?" Beth spoke up.

"We ain't. I'll go after 'em," Daryl said next to Willow.

"This place sounds pretty secure; you can't go alone," said Rick.

"I'll go," Beth stated.

"Me too," Axel added. Willow looked at him quickly as her body stiffened.

"Count me in," said Oscar.

Everyone nodded and went to get things together; they needed to leave soon.

Willow leaned against one of the tables outside the cell block. She watched as Carol held the new born by the stairs; Hershel hobbling around on crutches; Daryl, Oscar, and Carl pack the car.

"I got the flash bangs; I got the tear gas. Never know what's you're gonna need. Don't you worry about your old man, I'll keep my eye on him," Daryl said to Carl.

Beth opened the interior vehicle gate as Michonne walked up to her.

"Wasn't this place over run?" Michonne asked.

"Yes it was."

"And you cleared it out all by yourselves? Just a few?"

"There were others."

Rick called Carl over to a secluded area. Willow looked at Daryl as he climbed up the stairs to grab more supplies.

"Daryl's been calling her Ass Kicker," Carl said a little loudly.

"Ass Kicker; has he now?"

Carl spoke quietly to Rick before the older man walked to the car. When Daryl re-emerged, he walked over to Carol and the infant before moving closer to Willow.

"Stay safe," Daryl whispered to Willow.

"Nine lives," she replied, making him smile. She watched Daryl walk around the car to the front passenger seat.

"Bring 'em back," Hershel called.

Rick nodded before driving off to the outside world. Carol, with baby Judith, walked over to Willow.

"Let's go inside and feed Judith," the older woman suggested.

Willow smiled and turned to walk up the stairs. She got the bottle ready before handing it to Beth, who now had the infant.

"You're pretty good with her," Axel said to the young woman.

"Thank you."

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

Carl stepped a bit closer to Beth before Willow called Axel out of the cell. She led him to the far end of the room and pushed him face first against the wall.

"I didn't do anything," he said.

"This is just a warning. You speak to Beth like that again, I'll rip your arms off and give you to the walkers. You understand me?"

"Yes." Willow released Axel and backed away to the stairs. "It's just-it's been quite a while since I've been I've been in here. Maggie's with Glenn; you're with Daryl, and Carol is a lesbian."

"I'm not a lesbian," Carol said as she walked over.

"I thought that since you have the short hair—"

"Well, I'm not."

"So—"

"Don't even start," Carol said as she and Willow walked up the stairs to the second level.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Hours later, Willow took to the field. She noticed the three graves and walked over to them.

"Thank you T-Dog, for everything," she whispered to the grave marker.

"He didn't want to believe," Carol said from behind her.

"I didn't think that I would survive. I gave up on being found before I heard Daryl's voice." Willow lightly touched her marker, then touched the wilting white flower.

"A Cherokee Rose," Carol smiled. "He brought me one when my daughter disappeared. When I lost hope in finding her alive, Daryl took me to see a large number of them growing."

"What's the story behind them?"

"During the Trail of Tears, the children died or disappeared and the mothers cried. Soon these flowers bloomed to give them hope."

"I'm sorry about your daughter, and your loss," Willow said as she stood.

"Thank you," Carol replied.

"I'll take watch. You should go back to the cells."

Carol nodded and walked away slowly, thinking of how their lives have changed. Willow walked to the vehicle gate and climbed into the tower to watch for their group.

"Willow!" Carl called from the ground at dusk.

She descended the stairs and met Carl outside. Accepting the bowl of food and bottle of water, she began to eat.

"They'll be back soon," he said boldly.

"But when and what's their health?"

"No matter what, we'll take care of everyone."

"You staying with me, or heading back up?"

"Heading back; Hershel's going to come down in a while."

"Okay. Thank you for the food. Now, get back up there."

Carl nodded, took the empty bowl, and walked up the path quickly before the sun set completely. Willow returned to the lookout deck and kept looking for any headlights or sounds of an engine.

In the early afternoon, Axel opened the gate for the car as it quickly drove up. Willow was ordered to get some sleep as the sun rose; so everyone rushed outside.

"Get him inside, Maggie," Rick ordered.

"Where's Oscar and Daryl?" asked Carol.

"Oscar was killed as we were escaping."

Carol waited for news about Daryl, but the silence turned a light on in her mind.

"No. No. You left him there?"

"We went back, but he was already gone; no trace of him in the chaos we created the second time."

"Willow's not going to take this too kindly."

"We're going to need to be prepared for anything. We might need to be prepared for anything. We might need to protect this place from a militia," Rick said quietly as he walked into c-Block.

"Wait, dad. There are some new comers. Got in through the downed fence in the back."

Rick stopped and looked at the four new people in their prison. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Willow leaning against the open door.

"We need to prepare to defend our group and we can use extra help," he said to Tyrese.

Tyrese nodded his head before holding his hand out. "Tyrese."

"Rick." He moved over to Willow and nodded for her to follow. "Daryl was taken hostage, but was gone by the time we got back into the town."

"So, he can still make it back here."

"Yeah, but we made an enemy who is willing to kill us."

Willow nodded and left the cell block to watch the front gate for any signs of intruders or Daryl approaching the gate.


	15. Chapter 15

**Good morning everyone! Last night was an awesome episode...(the calm before the storm) and I can't wait until next week's. My updates might not happen for a couple of weeks because I'm leaving the state for a bit. I'll try to update, it all just depends on what I'm doing. Enjoy and I will try to update before I go.**

**Chapter Fifteen**

Daryl kept running, dodging around trees and walkers, listening to Merle following him. They had gotten away from Woodbury. Escaped the people yelling at them.

Escaped back into the hell of the world.

"We can' go back to tha prison, liddol brudder," Merle said after grabbing Daryl's arm.

"I have ta. Rick and the others need help defendin' da place. You can go on your own, but I'm goin' ta help 'em," he growled before taking off again.

Merle grumbled and followed closely, taking out several walkers along the way.

"Willow?" Glenn said as he stepped out onto the observation landing.

"Hey, Glenn. You feelin' all right?" she asked as she sat down.

"Pretty good; still in a lot of pain." Glenn looked out at the road and trees. "Still nothing?"

"Probably not for a few days. Dependin' on how far you had to walk then drive, it'll take a full day."

"It's good seeing you again," he finally said.

"You too. Now, let's try and keep you from being taken again," she smiled.

"Yeah, I think two times is my limit."

Willow smiled then lightly rested her head on his shoulder.

As night fell, Daryl and Merle holed up in an abandoned house deep in the woods. Neither started a fire; they were barely able to eat or drink.

'Hope the others made it,' Daryl thought as he kept looking at the window in front of him. 'Hope Willow isn't doin' somethin' stupid.'

"What you thinkin', liddol brudder?"

"How to kill the Governor," he lied.

"Now, how 'bout tha thruth this time?"

"Willow."

"Don' 'member a 'Willow' in 'Lanta."

"She joined a few months back."

"Good fighter?"

"Yeah."

"Good lookin'?"

"Not gonna say."

"Come on, Darylina. I'm not askin' if ya screwed her; I was just askin' if she's good lookin'."

"Amazin'."

"Good."

Daryl knew Merle was thinking about something, but he didn't want to know specifics.

"She kind to ya?"

"Yeah."

"Too bad da world wen' ta shit."

"Yeah."

"Willow hasn't slept since you guys left," Hershel told Rick the next morning during breakfast. "Barely eaten, too."

"Okay, I'll go talk to her." He walked to the guard tower and climbed the stairs. "I'll take over for a while."

"I'm good."

"You need to sleep, Willow."

"Even if I tried, I won't be able to knowing that we could be attacked at any time."

"Please Willow. I'll need you to take a lead with this; I can't do this without you."

"Fine; but as I said, no guarantee that I'll sleep." She stood and left the tower. Walking up the path, she kept scanning the wood's edge for any signs of Daryl returning. 'Come on, Daryl; get back here already.'

_"Daryl!"_

_ The redneck shuffled through the open gate. Willow closed and locked it behind him; relief flooding her entire body._

_ "Willow," he garbled as he fell to the ground._

_ "Daryl. Let's get you to—"_

_ "No, you can't."_

_ "Please, you need medical care. Hershel! Rick!"_

_ "Willow." He took her hands in his. "I love you."_

_ "Stay with me, please," Willow begged._

"Willow," a voice rang out, deep with worry.

_"I love you."_

"Daryl!" she cried as she sat up on the perch.

"Shh, everything's all right," Carol soothed.

Willow stared wide-eyed at the air in front of her; not seeing and not feeling, or even hearing anything in particular. Carol sat beside her, rubbing her back, hoping to calm the woman a bit. Slowly, Willow lay back down on Daryl's bed mat.

"I'll be right back," Carol said after touching Willow's face. "Hershel, she's burning up."

"With lack of sleep and nutrients, her body is working twice as much. Let's see what we have."

"Andrea; she's here," Carl announced as he ran into the cell block.

Everyone rushed out of the block and into the field, leaving Willow with no one.

"Where's Daryl?" Rick asked through the fence.

"Escaped with Merle. Where's T-Dog? Lori?"

"Died."

"I'm so sorry, Rick."

"Why did you come here?" Michonne questioned.

"Wanted to see everyone."

"So, this is the group you traveled with."

"Yeah."

"You still siding with the Governor?"

"He's totally lost his mind. He's willing to sacrifice everyone to get revenge."

"So, you want to rejoin us?" Rick asked.

"I don't know," she replied.

"She might not help defend this place," Michonne whispered.

"I'm sorry, Andrea; but we can't trust you enough to welcome you back."

"I understand."

"Come on, the fence is down on the far side," Merle said to Daryl as they neared the prison.

"You know about the fence?"

"Yeah, who do ya think cleared out the armory?"

"Shit," Daryl cussed, picking up speed. 'Have to get there. Need to protect the group.'


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Once Andrea was gone, the group returned to the cell block.

"Axel, you and Tyrese need to watch the downed fence; someone will relieve you in a few hours."

But it was already too late; two people were able to fight passed the walkers.

"Willow. Willow, wake up," Daryl whispered while tapping her face and arms.

She barely moved. Worried, Daryl lightly jostled her shoulder.

"Daryl?"

"Willow."

"Dreaming again," she slurred still half asleep.

"No, you're not. You need to wake up."

"Merle?" Rick asked as he entered the block.

"Officer Friendly."

"Where's Daryl?"

"In there."

Glenn and Carol kept their eyes on Merle as Rick and Hershel rushed to the cells. They saw Daryl trying to keep Willow awake.

"She's burning," Daryl said, barely holding onto his voice,

Hershel shuffled to his bag and pulled out a syringe and a vial of sedative.

"Her body has been working too hard," Hershel explained as he inserted the needle into her arm.

"Willow's been watching the gate since we left."

Daryl looked to Rick and pulled him to the tables away from the cells. The group looked happy that the youngest Dixon was back with minimal injuries.

"Merle , tell them what ya told me," Daryl said to his brother.

"We cleared out the armory here a while ago."

"So the Governor knows where and how to get in."

"We need to leave then," Beth said.

"No. We fought to get in, we've lost people; we will not give up."

Everyone nodded and looked at each other. Glenn and Maggie left to take watch in the closest tower. Daryl led Merle into the cells.

"Sleep in a cell or on the floor." Daryl climbed the steps and sat beside Willow's head.

"You becomin' soft," Merle said from the bottom step.

"Don't care."

"Soft gets ya killed."

"Don' worry 'bout me." Daryl didn't want to do anything but stay with Willow. He stayed next to her the entire night.

She finally felt safe; felt secured. Willow opened her eyes and recognized the face beside her. She lightly traced her fingers across his face.

"Stop."

"Just making sure I wasn't dreaming." Willow kept on tracing his facial features until he grabbed her hand, Daryl opened his eyes and stared at her.

Then without thinking, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. Foe a few minutes, life seemed calm and normal; but the harsh reality will always be present.


	17. Chapter 17

***Screaming with everything* WHAT THE HOLY HECK! I WISH THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN! Nnnnoooooo! Love the episode (bought on itunes this morning). Can't wait until next week and then SEASON FOUR! Until then, enjoy.**

**Chapter Seventeen**

"Daryl!" Rick called urgently.

Daryl jumped up and rushed down the stairs, with his crossbow in hand. Willow joined him quickly at the door.

"What is it?"

"There's three people at the gate," Maggie said.

"Okay, Daryl, Tyrese, and I will go and see what's going on. Everyone, stay here. Maggie, go back to the tower; you and Glenn use the rifles if something happens."

Daryl touched Willow's face before heading outside with Tyrese and Rick. Merle stepped closer to her as everyone returned to their cells.

"You scared 'bout him?" Merle asked.

"A bit."

"Don' worry 'bout Daryl. Only a Dixon can kill a Dixon."

"Would you have killed Daryl if you were ordered?"

"No. He's my budder. I protect my family; even you."

"Me, why?"

"Darylina seems ta care 'bout ya. That means that I care 'bout ya too."

"Thank you."

Willow walked to the door and stepped outside. She could see Rick, Daryl, and Tyrese talking to people in the entrance gate. But she didn't stop there. Slowly, she walked down the path to stand behind the trio.

"We will not give up without a fight," Rick said to Philip, the Governor of Woodbury.

"Fine, let's see how long you'll survive."

Philip and his two guns retreated down the road to their cars. When Rick, Daryl, and Tyrese turned, they came face-to-face with Willow.

"The hell you doin' out here?" Daryl yelled. "Rick said to stay inside."

"Just wanted to make sure everything was good."

"Damn it! You tryin' ta get yourself killed."

"I've sat by long enough! I sat back when you guys checked the tombs; and looked what happened. Hershel got bit!"

"You were injured!"

"Doesn't mean shit when this is our world now. There's no rest. Hell, Lori was running around pregnant! So don't give me that crap."

"You know what? You wanna get yourself killed, go right ahead. I won't stop ya. Stupid bitch." Daryl mumbled as he moved past Willow and into the yard.

She looked at Rick who just seemed to be thinking the same thing as Daryl. But before anything could be said, Willow climbed into the tower and kicked Glenn and Maggie out.

It was hours before anyone joined Willow in the guard tower. She was surprised that Hershel was the one to take watch.

"You should get some food into your system," he said when he finally made it up the stairs.

"Not hungry."

"I'll have someone bring you a plate later."

"You're not going to order me back to the cells?"

"Not if you don't want to go. I've learned long ago that there's no way to order a stubborn mule to do anything."

"Thank you," she said before leaving silence between them.

Neither of them spoke; they just sat inside the tower and watched the surrounding gates. It seemed like hours before Hershel used the setting sun to help him down the stairs and up the path back to the cell block.

"She won't return, will she?" Rick asked him.

"Most likely not."

"I'll take some food out to her," Carol said before putting some food into a bowl for people.

"Let her starve," Daryl said from a corner he was leaning in.

"We can't do that, Daryl, and you know it."

"She's just angry that she's useless. So if she doesn't want to come inside to eat, then let her starve."

Everyone looked from Daryl to Rick to see what he would say. He only nodded to Carol before she walked out of the block to take Willow some dinner.

"Willow?" Carol called up to the platform. When she received no reply, she climbed the stairs. "Willow, here's some dinner."

"Thank you, Carol."

Willow accepted the bowl of food, but placed it on the built in desk. Carol didn't say anything, but took a seat and helped watch the perimeter.

"Wish we had some night goggles," Carol finally said in a serious tone.

Willow smiled, then started to laugh quietly. "Yeah, me too. Would make watch easier. However, I would want to clean them after Glenn and Maggie take watch."

They smiled at each other before hearing the door open. Suddenly, Willow held her gun and kept her finger off the trigger. Luckily she didn't shoot the person who walked up the stairs.

"Whoa, sorry sweetheart; didn't mean ta scare ya," Merle said, holding his hands up.

"Willow, Carol," Rick said as he climbed the stairs. "We're taking over watch. Get some sleep."

Willow tucked her hand gun away, grabbed the bowl, then made her way to the block with Carol beside her. Once inside, Willow walked to the cell she claimed while ignoring everyone. Carol looked at the bowl the young woman left on the table and sighed.


	18. Chapter 18

**Yeah! Season finale was amazing last night. Didn't think things would have happened that way, but that's the show. Here's the next chapter and i hope you all enjoy it. Please give me feed back if you think the story is running slow/fast, good/bad, or if you just have an idea that you want to see in this. Thank you all!**

**Chapter Eighteen**

As the days passed, Rick started to become more and more restless. Willow pretty much kept watch, alternating between the fallen fence or the vehicle entrance. It was a rare thing to have fresh meat since Daryl and Merle stayed in the prison.

"I'll be back in a few hours," Willow said quietly, picking up her knife and gun.

"Where are you going?" Rick asked.

"Need fresh meat. I'm just going to set some traps."

"We don't know if anyone is out there."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Willow stated before walking the door to the yard.

The group looked at Daryl quickly before turning back to their food in their bowls. The younger Dixon remained where he was, not reacting to everyone's glances; however, Merle wasn't going to sit back any longer. He rushed up the stairs and out to the yard, following behind Willow.

"Hey, Girly, hold up a minute," he called out. "I'll go with you out there."

She shrugged and continued on to the main gate. Once through, the pair quickly ducked into the woods. Merle kept watch for any signs of unwanted visitors while Willow gathered supplies and set the traps.

"You know how to make human snares?" Merle asked surprised.

"Yeah; don't know if we'll get gunmen or walkers."

"Either one is good for us." They continued to walk for a bit longer in silence. "How close are ya and my brudder?"

"Not very, obviously."

"He cares 'bout ya."

"I won't hold my breath."

"Look, all Daryl wants ta do is protect ya and tha group."

"Protect." Willow exhaled loudly, trying to rid her anger. "Look, can we not talk about this now?"

"Sure."

"Any sign of them?" Rick asked Axel.

"No, not yet."

"They should be back by now."

"Merle won't let anything happen to her," said Carol softly.

"We won't be able to rescue them if they were taken."

"I see them on the edge, right there." Carol pointed to the main gate. Two figures walked out of the trees. "Hopefully they have some meat for us."

Rick watched as Willow and Merle waited for someone to unlock the gate. He noticed Daryl standing by the yard gate.

"Thank you, Carol," Willow said once inside the field.

"You're welcome."

"I'll skin and clean these," Merle said taking the squirrels and heading to the yard.

Willow looked up and saw Daryl. When their eyes met, Daryl turned and led Merle to a table to help him.

"She's good."

"What you talkin' 'bout?" Daryl asked.

"Willow. She knows what she's doin'."

The pair watched as Willow walked passed them and into the cell block. Daryl knew that she wasn't going to sit down in her cell; most likely, she was taking over Michonne's shift at the fence opening.

As more days passed, Willow kept to herself; going out early in the mornings, checking the traps, returning in the afternoon, then taking up residence on watch.

But it was on one of the solo watches when Willow noticed something was going on. Figures were skirting through the trees along the road. However, since she was alone, Willow couldn't send word to the others. Instead, Willow carefully climbed out of the tower and made her was through the field.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

"Everyone have their weapons?" Daryl asked the group.

"Yeah, what's up?" Glenn asked.

"Something doesn't feel right." He stood and walked to the door of the block. "Can't see Willow. Carl, get my bow and a flash light."

"What are you going to do?" questioned Rick.

"I'm going to take watch with her."

A shot rang out; Rick immediately went into action. Beth and Hershel got into their cell and closed the door. Daryl grabbed his bow from Carl and ran out into the yard; Merle followed closely.

"Willow!" Daryl received no answer. He looked around the field, but with the minimal amount of light, it was difficult.

"Notice somethin'?" Merle asked.

"No walkers around." Daryl looked towards the dog run where the group initially got in. "Fence is still closed, so where's Willow?"

"What's going on?" Rick called.

"Don't know. Let's get back to the block. No one leaves."

"Where's Willow?"

"No idea."

The three men returned to the block. Everyone kept looking at the door, wondering where Willow was. Daryl closed the door to their cell area and climbed the stairs to his things.

"Until we know what happened, everyone will stay here," Rick stated.

"Walkers weren't standin' by tha fences."

"What do you mean?"

"They weren't out there. The gun fire wasn't from in the field or on the edge. That shot was in the woods."

"Then what happened to Willow?" Carl asked.

"She wasn't in the tower, the field, or the dog runs." Daryl laid down and suggested that everyone else do so as well.

_ "I guess you got what you wished, Daryl," Willow said._

_ "Wha'd you mean?"_

_ "You said that I would get myself killed."_

_ "You survived before."_

_ Willow straddled Daryl's waist and gently place her hands on his chest. "I was able to lock myself in a cell against walkers. Where can I hide in the woods? How do you know I wasn't shot by the Governor or one of his men?" She leaned in and kissed his lips. "And why would you come running into a potential gun fight to check on me? You didn't want anything to do with me."_

_ Daryl held onto her hips and felt something wet on his right hand. In the moonlight, he saw the blood coating his fingers. She lifted her shirt and showed him where the blood was coming from; a gunshot wound on her left side. _

Daryl sat up, wiping the sweat from his brow. He could hear the group eating in the other room. Slowly waking up, he tried to get the dream out of his head.

"Morning Daryl," Carol said when he walked by her.

"I'm going out there," he said to Rick.

"I'll join ya," Merle said after finishing his food.

"Okay, let's go."

The pair left the block and made their way to the closest guard tower. Daryl climbed to the top and walked onto the platform. Looking around, he couldn't see anything or anyone in the wood's edge.

"Anythin'?" Merle called up.

"No, nothin'."

"At least them walkers are back."

"Let's walk the fence." Daryl returned to the dirt path and led Merle to the gate. "I don't get it; where could she go?"

"She could go anywhere."

"Let's check the hole."

Walking through the dog runs, the brothers kept looking into the woods. They didn't speak the entire time.

Running through the woods quietly isn't that difficult if you've been doing it since the world fell. Willow kept her knife in her hand and killed the walkers and armed men. She finally made it back to the front entrance.

"Hold it right there," a deep voice called out behind her. "You were in that prison."

"What do you want?"

"I want to get in there."

"Sorry, not interesting in helping you."

"Not giving you a choice."

The Governor pulled his gun and lunged at Willow. Gun fire filled her ears and the knife grazed the man's side. Willow took off running to the fence thirty feet away.

"Willow!" Daryl yelled as he pulled the gate open, killing a couple of walkers.

Merle got in close to the Governor and killed the man. Inside the gated area before the field, Willow fell to her knees in the dirt, holding onto her left arm. Walkers kept pushing on the gate, trying to get inside.

"Merle, get Hershel!"

"No, I'm fine, Daryl," she said with a grimace.

"You're bleeding."

"And why do you care?"

Willow stood and walked up the path with the Dixon brothers following; they met the others in the yard.

"Willow, what happened?" Rick asked.

"Saw some movement last night on the wood's edge. The gun shot you heard was the guy I caught."

"You went out there?" Ricked asked as Willow sat on one of the tables in the dinning area inside the block.

"Snuck out when the moon was covered."

"Where? I checked the opening in the link," Daryl questioned.

Willow winced as Hershel poked around the wound on her arm.

"The opening? No; through the entrance gate. I unlocked it, opened it slightly, killed some walkers, then relocked it, twisting the chain until the lock was inside."

"That's why the keys were on the ground by the tower," Merle said, leaning against the wall. He tossed the keys to Glenn quickly.

Willow nodded. "Didn't want to take a chance of being taken prisoner and assist in their attack."

"You're going to need a few stitches, but you're lucky it wasn't a few inches closer to your body," Hershel stated as he started sewing her wound.

"Yeah, but a few inches the other way and I wouldn't have been grazed. Thank you, Hershel."

"We should be thanking you, Willow," he replied.

She gave a weak smile to Hershel before catching Daryl's gaze; Willow's smile fell quickly as she stood from the table.

"Who's on watch?" she asked quietly.

"Anyone but you," Glenn replied.

"Get some rest; you were running on fumes the other day. Now, adrenaline. You need to sleep and get some nutrients," Rick said in his leader tone of voice.

"I'll try; how does that sound?"

"Like a deal."

Willow nodded and walked to her cell. She walked passed everyone else, not wanting to interact. Daryl followed from a distance; carefully watching the young woman. She entered her cell and laid down on the mattress.

'She's oaky,' Daryl kept thinking as the day continued.

**In the original version of this chapter, the story would have ended if it wasn't for a friend who read it and yelled at me. So, this is for you hope you like it and the rest. Love ya!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

Throughout the night, Daryl kept checking on Willow. After his shift in the tower, he sat in the door way to her cell and watched her.

Willow woke in the morning wanting nothing more than to sleep, but something caught her eye. She stood and knelt down next to a sleeping Daryl. Her fingers lightly played in his sweat dampened hair. A true smile traced her lips, until she remembered what he told her.

_"You know what? You wanna get yourself killed, go right ahead. I won't stop you."_

She quickly pulled her hand away and dropped the smile. Willow stepped over his legs and walked to the common area where Carol was getting breakfast finished.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Only a little."

Beth led Carl and Judith to one of the tables and got a bottle ready while greeting everyone as they entered. Willow accepted the bowl of food from Carol and moved to a corner. Axel sat down close to her a couple of minutes later.

"Your colour is coming back," he said quietly to her.

"Remember our talk, Axel? I'm still quite able, and more than willing, to include other body parts to that list," she threatened.

Axel stood and walked away. Willow looked up as Daryl approached Carol to grab food. Before he sat down, he checked on Judith and looked around for Willow.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't sleep in the doorway," she whispered weakly.

"Try not to get killed then."

"Isn't that what you wanted? To get rid of me?"

"No; I was mad that the man who wanted to kill me found his way here. Never want to get rid of you."

"Good, cuz I'm not going anywhere." Willow stood and gave her bowl to Carol, then took off to the outside towers.

"She doesn't stop," someone said in the quiet room.

Daryl didn't even finish eating before he followed the young woman outside. But what he saw stopped him in his tracks. Willow was just sitting on one of the tables in the sun, looking out into the distance; her fingers playing with the stitches on her upper arm.

"You thinkin' 'bout something," he said.

"I'm always thinkin' 'bout something, what's new this time?"

"You're pickin' at the stitches," he noted. Willow quickly dropped her hand and continued to look towards the woods. "How many?"

"'Nough; both living and dead." She felt Daryl sit next to her. "Killing the living became easier each time. I kept thinking about the group, and feeling the need to protect them."

"Nothin' wrong with that," he said, finally pulling Willow under his arm. "Hey, you don't have to keep doin' so much."

"What are you talking about?"

"Always keepin' watch, goin' out alone to protect everyone. The group has accepted you."

"I know that."

"Then why do you keep watch?"

"Don't know, I just do."

"Then stop. We have more than enough people to take shifts."

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes; Willow leaning against the hunter with his arm around her shoulders.

"Is there any way we can repair the downed fence?" she asked quietly.

"It's possible, but it'll take a while."

She only nodded. Daryl thought the woman had fallen asleep on him after several more minutes of silence, but Willow reached for Daryl's free hand and held it loosely.

"Let's go talk to Rick," she suggested before starting to move off the table.


	21. Chapter 21

**I don't know when I'll be updating this story...I have three more typed, but i had hit the writer's wall. Also, my normal computer is not allowing me to access this website. So, we'll see. Keep me in the know about what you guys think.**

**Chapter Twenty One**

For days, two people watched the main gate; Hershel and Beth took care of Judith, and everyone else tried to repair the downed fence. Bricks were used as projectile weapons against the walkers.

"Looks pretty good," Rick said on day four.

"All we have to do is reset the fence and chain them," Glenn noted.

"Excellent idea, Willow," Rick said before thinking about the night's watch. "I'll take the first watch here; Daryl, you and Willow take the tower."

The pair nodded and left he back. They grabbed their jackets, some food, and left the block to the tower.

"Daryl," Willow said after a couple of hours in silence.

"What is it?"

"If the world returned to how it was, would the group still be close?"

"Yeah, I would think so."

"Even you and Merle?" Daryl just looked at her. "Before everything happened, you only had Merle; but now you protect and help lead this group."

"We're not gunna leave, even if this ended."

But everything was going to change for the group once again when a single survivor arrives.

"Please, help me!" the man called out.

Willow ran forward and unlocked the chain to the internal gate. She looked at the man's face for the first time and recognized him.

"Jack?"

"Willow, let me in, please," he begged.

"No; you're not comin' in here, Jack. Go find your own place."

Willow backed up and closed the other gate. There's too many things that she never wanted to talk about again; and he was one of those things. She noticed Daryl standing on the platform.

"Willow! I'll die out here!"

"You've done well enough!" she called back before entering the tower. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You left him out there, why?"

"I know him from before the world fell. Now, let's not talk about him."

"I'm here if ya wanna talk."

A scream echoed through C Block in the middle of the night; waking everyone not on watch. Daryl and Merle were the first to grab a weapon and run to Willow's cell. Daryl dropped his crossbow and entered the cell.

Willow was sitting on the corner of the bed, as far away from everything as she physically could. She flinched when Daryl got close. Kneeling down, he kept his eyes on the woman cowering in fear.

"Willow?"

"Please don't."

"Not gonna touch you." Daryl moved closer to the bed. "Everythin's all right."

Rick and Merle silently moved everyone away from the cell, hoping that Daryl can help Willow. The hunter was able to reach the bed without Willow reacting too much.

"Willow, I want ya ta say my name."

"D-Daryl."

"'Gain."

"Daryl."

"You screamed, why?" Willow stayed curled up in the corner, shaking her head. "I need ta know."

"My past. That's all you need to know."

"Tell me."

Willow felt Daryl's hand on her knee; his touch calming her slowly. She took a deep breath, trying to even her breathing.

"Six months before the end of the world, I was in a relationship with the guy who I left outside. He would hit me. Finally broke things off just before the word got out about the walkers."

Daryl gently moved Willow into his arms and placed his forehead against hers. "He's gone; won't be comin' back anytime soon."

"He's a dangerous man, Daryl. Jack will return with men and weapons. We won't be able to survive if we stay here."

"I won't let anything happen to you or the group. I promise."

"So, we might have a new enemy," Rick said after Daryl told about Jack; never telling about the fact that Jack is Willow's ex. "How much further out can we go for runs?"

"Not much. We've already cleared out all the retail stores for forty miles; any further out than that and everyone's lives are at risk."

"In the next run, find a map; we're going to need a new location soon." Rick watched as Carol and Beth picked some vegetables in the field. "As it is, our field is too small to grow cotton and food."

"We could try to build an area outside the fence; there's a few places that have cotton gins, wheels, and other things."

"Good idea. Take Willow or Maggie and load the car with as much as you can."

"We'll head out at first light."

Rick and Daryl kept watching the fence for a couple more hours until Tyrese and Michonne took over.


	22. Chapter 22

**So, i have finished writing the story...No, it will not end right now, but i hope that you all won't want to kill me over the ending. That is always the hardest part to write. **

**Oh, well. Enjoy the chapter!**

**Chapter Twenty Two**

In the early morning, Glenn and Maggie opened the gate for Daryl and Willow. The car quickly weaved through the semi-cleared highways and roads to reach fabric and other specialty stores. Willow kept grabbing needles and threads while Daryl kept his guard up.

When the woman was in the fabric store for the third time, Daryl sensed that someone was watching.

"Let's get the fuck outta here!" he hissed from the door. He saw Willow rushing towards him with several more bundles of fabric. "Just hold onto 'em."

Daryl closed the trunk and got into the driver's seat. But before he could drive off, someone moved to stand in front of the car. Willow's breath caught in her throat, knowing who the person was. All Daryl noticed was the gun that laid on the hood in the guy's hand.

"Reverse," she whispered.

No good. There was another person standing there. The pair was trapped, and most likely, just became hostages.

"Come on out, Willow," Jack said from the hood. "All I want to do is talk to you."

Daryl stiffened in his seat, praying that Willow wouldn't step out of the car. But Willow, being who she is, yelled through the closed windows.

"Guarantee our safety and that we can leave first, then I'll step out."

"Willow," Daryl hissed.

"Trust me, please."

"I promise no one is gonna get hurt; and after I say what I want, you and the guy can take off with the car and whatever you have."

Willow nodded and slowly opened the door and stood right there. "I'm not stepping away."

"Just want to tell ya that ya made an enemy of me."

"Figured as much."

"You think me beating you was bad? I can imagine worse for everyone in that prison." He paused, looking Willow up and down through the window. Her weight shifted slightly under his gaze. "There, you can leave now that I've talked to you."

Jack and his companion walked into the woods across the street, leaving Willow to get in the car.

A couple hours later, Daryl and Willow pulled into the prison field. Rick, Carol, and Beth met the car in the yard, ready to unload the goods. Daryl looked over at Willow who was still looking out the windows.

"'Member what I said?" She nodded at him finally. "I'll protect ya 'til the end."

"Thank you." Just then, Rick opened her door and helped her out. "We need to talk later."

"I'm on watch in a bit, join me," Rick replied softly.

The group of five quickly unloaded the car, placing everything in C Block to take inventory of the goods. Bundle after bundle, spools of threads, and packages of needles, everything was locked away. Rick and Willow walked in silence to the tower.

"What happened out there?" Rick asked after they were alone.

"Yesterday morning, a man came to the gate. I sent him away because I knew him from before all of this."

"Daryl told me; Jack, right?"

"Yeah. Well, apparently since he left here, he was able to find either a group of his own or a group to take him. Jack found us at the store.

"His message was simple enough; 'you have made an enemy of me'."

"So, we'll just have to wait and see what happens. We're still strong and ready for anything."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

Day after day, life continued on. There were fewer walkers around, but that didn't mean anything. Daryl, Willow, and Merle adventured into the woods in search for meat, while everyone else cared for the crops or took watch.

"Got us some venison," Daryl said as he and Merle carried the deer between them with a branch.

"Glenn, you want to help m e dig a smoke pit?" Willow asked with a smile. He nodded and went to grab the shovels. Daryl placed his end on the ground before giving Willow a peck on the cheek. "Can you clean it?"

"Will do; ready Merle?"

The brothers went up to the yard to start gutting and skinning the deer. Willow and Glenn moved close to the guard tower and started to dig a deep and long hole. Carol was able to grab salt and even some pepper to put on the meat.

"Well, this is done; let's get the wood," Merle stated before going to wash up. Daryl nodded and walked with him.

"We're goin' back out for a bit, need to get wood," Daryl called to Rick before unlocking the gate.

"Be careful, keep your ears and eyes open."

Daryl nodded and looked at Willow as she continued to dig the pit. Smiling to himself, Merle and Daryl left the prison once again.

An hour later and the group stood around smelling the smoking deer. Willow had a smile gracing her lips, causing Daryl to wrap an arm around her lower back.

"It's gonna take a while, come on."

"Okay."

The pair walked around the field, inspecting the fence and some of the crops. Daryl kept glancing at her; even went as far and genuinely smiling when he saw how happy Willow looked.

"Is it bad to believe that this was a good thing?" Willow asked.

"What?"

"The outbreak, I guess is what it's called."

"Why?"

"I don't think that I've been this happy before. Not when Jack asked me out, or even when I got away from him."

"Then it's a good that it happened."

Willow turned and stepped closer to the hunter. Looking into his eyes, she kissed his cheek softly. "I never would have met you."

"Definitely a good thing."

For the first time, Daryl's lips grazed Willow's. Neither pressed any further; both afraid of pushing the other away. After breaking apart, the pair continued their walk around the field and the rest of the prison.

"When can we eat?" Carl asked loudly as Willow and Daryl returned to the group.

"In about ten minutes," she smiled.

The rednecks pulled the leaves off the top, and then pulled the metal grate up. Taking his knife, Daryl cut one leg of the deer off at the shoulder. Willow took it and carried it to the yard to cut and serve.

"I look forward to eating venison for the next several weeks," Carol said joyfully while passing out the plates.

"Looks delicious," Beth replied.

"Thank you, Willow," came Axel's voice.

"It was Daryl who killed it," she said nonchalantly.

"With the deer, we don't need to go huntin' for a week," Rick announced. "But that doesn't mean that we don't have runs to make."

"Running low on spices," Carol said.

"Ammo could always be stocked," Glenn suggested.

"Any ammo supplies in the next several miles were looted long ago," Daryl noted.

"There's a store we can get spices from," Willow said.

"Ammo we can wait on," Rick started. "Who wants to go?"

"I will," Willow volunteered.

"Me, too," said Axel.

Willow and Carol glanced at the man quickly before Daryl could sense anything was wrong. Rick looked towards Willow, making sure it was all right.

"Might be better if someone else joined too," Rick suggested.

"Can't risk it," she replied.

Daryl almost glared at Rick for not urging her, but didn't say a word. After he finished eating, he pulled Willow to take watch. She leaned over the railing slightly and felt Daryl step closer to her.

"I don't trust Axel."

"Neither do I, Daryl. He just wants to prove he could be taken on runs."

"If he tries anything, I'm gonna kill him."

"Don't worry. I can take care of myself."

Daryl wrapped his arms around Willow's waist and held her against him. She looked into his eyes and saw a new emotion behind them. Concern. Her lips met his briefly, but Daryl took it a bit further.

By grazing his teeth over her lower lip, Willow opened up. They tasted each other for a few tentative seconds before separating. Daryl leaned his forehead against hers and breathed heavily.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

Daryl leaned against the car, watching as Axel and Willow got a few weapons ready. Glenn and Maggie were joining until they could get a new truck. Rick handed Willow his Python, fully loaded.

"Let's hope you don't need to use it."

"Let's hope." Willow walked over to the car and looked around to everyone. "Need to go, people."

"Come back," Daryl whispered.

"Always; but I may be alone."

Axel opened the passenger door while Glenn and Maggie took the back seat. Willow nodded and got behind the wheel. The car took off down the dirt path and out into the world.

"Anywhere in particular?" she asked Glenn and Maggie.

"Highway; plenty of trucks out there, and even vehicles that we haven't siphoned yet."

"Okay." Once the car pulled up to the highway, Willow turned the car off. "Need to get some gas, real fast. You two think you can handle getting a truck?"

"Yeah, we're good," replied Maggie.

"Okay, Axel, let's go." Willow grabbed an empty gas canister and walked over to a couple abandoned cars. "Keep your eyes open for any walkers."

Several minutes later, Willow and Axel were back in the car and on their way to a store. It was a surprise that there was no sound; no words spoken between the two until they reached their location.

"We find salt first; then after that, anything that can keep. Got it?" she questioned.

"Got it." Axel followed Willow into the store and stayed quiet. "I found some salt over here, Willow."

"I found this in the back; let's load the salt quickly." Willow had the feeling that someone else was here.

The large barrel of white salt and another of pink Himalayan salt were carefully placed in the trunk before the pair re-entered the store. Willow walked around the back storage area and started to pile as much as she could on the cart.

"You're amazing," Axel said quietly in her ear.

"You need to back up," she growled. But Axel didn't reply; instead he stepped closer and grabbed her hips. "Get the fuck off me, Axel."

Axel leaned in and placed a kiss on her neck. Willow swung around and kicked his legs. Grabbing the knife from its' sheath, she stabbed him in the arm. They grappled for a couple of minutes until Willow was able to kick Axel away from her.

The Python was pulled from Willow's jeans; she aimed and pulled the trigger.

Axel fell to t he ground with a bullet wound to the head. Willow remained where she was for a few seconds until she dashed, with the supplies, out of the store and into the car.

Several miles away from the store, Willow stopped and shook her head; trying to clear it of the sight and sound of killing Axel. Driving on, Willow was able to return to the prison, but didn't pull through the gate.

"I think I was dragging something for the last several miles," she said.

Daryl, Rick, and Merle got down and pulled the person off the under carriage.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five **

"Who the fuck are you?" Daryl yelled as he aimed his crossbow.

"Ken. Jack ordered me to get in here," he whimpered.

"Get out of here, now!" Rick ordered while throwing the man out of the gate. "Willow, go on up."

She drove up to the yard and called for everyone to help unload the goods.

"Carl, here's a tub for everyone," she said handing him a tub of gummy bears and worms. "We have two types of salt, and so many spices we can use."

Carol hugged Willow, but released quickly when the younger woman grimaced. "What happened?"

"And where's Axel?" Glenn asked.

"Carl, Beth, can you take the smaller tubs inside? Use the dolly." She waited until the two youngest were gone before sitting down at a table. "Axel tried to harass me. I had already warned him."

"He tried for Beth originally," Carol said to everyone.

"I fought him, then shot him in the head." Willow couldn't look at anyone, especially not Rick.

"Thank you," Rick said to Willow. She looked up with a questioning look. "Not for killing Axel, but for returning."

"Come on, let's get you checked out," Carol said quietly.

"Daryl, Glenn, give me a hand with the salt," Rick said. "I'll take watch after we're done."

That night, Daryl laid with Willow in his arms. Neither could sleep; both thinking of similar things.

"I wouldn't have shot him," grumbled Daryl.

"My original threat was to cut his arms off and give him to the walkers," she smiled

"Didn't think about that; good idea." He held onto her tighter. "Jack is becoming a pain."

"Always was."

"How'd ya meet 'im?"

"He was a repair guy for the building I worked in. Jack and I ran into each other, then the next thing I know, he kept making excuses to see me."

"When did he start hittin' you?"

"Week after I moved in with him; two months after we started dating." Willow could sense Daryl's anger building. "Hey, now that the world changed, I'm with you. You'll always protect me and watch my back when we fight."

"I love ya, Willow."

"I love you, too."

Daryl grazed his lips across Willow's, feeling her respond. She gently bit his lower lip to deepen the kiss.


	26. Chapter 26

**Sorry that it took so long, but i haven't been typing until two days ago. I just got distracted by reading several stories instead if typing my own. Thank you all for not going crazing and harassing me about not updating. **

**Well, not many chapters left, but hope you all enjoy this.**

**Chapter Twenty Six**

The morning brought more than another day; it welcomed the group's new enemy. Willow stood in the covered stairwell to the block while looking at the man by the gate. She glanced at Glenn and Rick in the guard tower.

"What's going on?" Carl asked when he stepped outside.

"Visitors. Do me a favor, and grab Daryl; go to where the wall and fence were down. I just want to make sure nothing's getting in."

"Sure."

Willow heard the door open and close again. The man at the gate stopped staring at the tower and kept a gaze on the stairs. Faint steps were heard from inside before the door opened.

"Stay inside!" she said loudly.

"Is it someone we know?" Carol questioned.

"Someone I know," she replied darkly.

"We should just kill him," came Michonne's voice.

"I won't disagree with you." Willow slowly walked down the steps. "Stay here, guys." She walked through the yard to where the tower stood. "What are we going to do?"

"Let's go talk to our guest," Rick suggested.

Willow walked into the field and walked with Rick to the gate. Opening and closing the inner gate, the pair unlocked the outer one for the guest to enter.

"I wondered if you would ever come out," Jack smiled.

"Here to taunt us, Jack?" Willow bit out.

"Just wanted to talk, Willow. I'm hoping we could make an agreement."

"What kind of agreement?" Rick questioned.

"My group and I live here, help with the garden and runs."

"There's so much land you could take over out there."

"There's nothing with tall, chain-link fences and guard towers."

"I'm sure you and your group can fend for yourselves without a fence."

Jack glared at Willow and stepped closer to her. Rick got between the two.

"I think it's time for you to leave," he said.

"Fine, I'll leave."

Jack opened the gate and left the prison. Willow and Rick locked up the gates and headed back to the yard. The pair watched the block door opened and Daryl came running out.

"Was it him?" he asked Willow.

She nodded. Rick walked through the door into the tower, leaving Daryl and Willow to talk.

"Yeas, it was Jack."

"Wha'd he want?"

"To join our group." She could tell that Daryl was angry. So instead of saying something, Willow pulled him to a secluded area.

"What are you doin'?"

"Nothing in particular."

She had her back against the wall and guided Daryl closer to her. Grabbing his hands, she placed them on her waist. Then without thinking, Daryl kissed her with everything he has.

"Please don't go off alone," he finally whispered.

"I won't." Willow kissed him again. "Love you."

"I love you, too."


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

"We found a gun store in the phonebook, maybe we can check it out?" Glenn questioned one morning.

"I'll go," Willow shrugged. "Carol can join me."

"Do you want to go, Carol?" Rick asked the older woman.

"Sure, I haven't been outside of these walls in a while."

"Okay, but be quick. Get there and get back."

"Alright, let's go."

Willow gently squeezed Daryl's forearm as she walked passed him. He and Carl followed the pair out of the block and out to the yard. Carl unlocked the first gate while Willow and Carol drove Daryl to the entrance gates.

"Be careful you two. Jack can be anywhere," he warned before the car drove out of the prison fence.

"Think they'll be fine?" Carl asked as he jogged up behind the hunter.

"Hope so."

Once the gates were locked, Daryl and Carl rejoined the group in the cell block.

"It should be just around this bend," Carol said, giving the directions to Willow. "Thank you for this."

"I figured you and I should have a run together." Willow continued to drive. "I see the sign up ahead."

The car parked and they got out. Walking to the door, Willow broke the glass door and entered the store. Carol looked around for any walkers.

"We've just hit the holy grail," Willow called out.

Willow started to hand Carol guns, ammo, and other weapons including a new crossbow for Daryl and a large knife for Merle's arm.

"Uh, Willow," Carol tentatively called into the store.

Outside, Willow stood face-to-face with Jack and a gun. "Let her go."

Jack looked over at Carol and nodded his head. The older woman grabbed what Willow had in her hands before getting into the car and driving off.

"Now, let's go," he ordered Willow. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the woods.

"They're back!" Carl called down to Glenn.

Once the car was in the upper yard, Carol got out and watched everyone's reaction. Daryl walked over, waiting for Willow to open the other door.

"Was she bit?" he questioned through a clenched jaw.

"No."

"What happened, Carol?"

"Jack took her."

Daryl's anger hit a high; he punched the car then rushed inside to grab some things. Merle and Rick followed quickly, hoping that he wasn't planning something.

"Daryl, what are you doing?" Rick asked.

"I'm gunna go find her."

"Where would you start?"

"The store. I'll track him down and kill him."

"You can't go out there alone."

"No; I wasn't able to find her once before; I won't bury her again."

Daryl pushed Rick with his shoulder as he walked out of his cell. The hunter was ready; crossbow in his hand, knives in sheaths, and a map in a pocket. Merle reached out to stop his brother.

"Nuthin' good will come of this."

"Then come with me."

"Daryl, can we talk about this?" Rick tried, getting in the way to the block door.

"I'm goin' after him. Either with someone or by myself."

"All I'm saying is hold off until morning."

"No. I'll try tracking through the night, but I will find her."

Daryl got around Rick and stepped outside. He walked over to the motorcycle and climbed on. Glenn locked the gate and stood still.

"Open the gates!" Daryl ordered; answered by Glenn's head shake. "Open it!"

Daryl climbed off the bike and stalked forward. Merle pulled his brother back, blocking him from attacking the Korean man. Carol stood back, barely holding herself together.

"Get the hell off me!" Daryl growled at Merle.

"You need to calm down," Hershel tried.

"The hell I do! I'm goin' ta get her!"

"Not right now, you're not," argued Rick.

Daryl paced a couple time before glaring at Carol. "You left her."

"She wanted me to leave her," Carol murmured weakly.

"What?"

"Willow was protecting me."

"Did you see where they went?"

"Into the woods."

Daryl started to pace again then took his anger out on the chain link fence. Carol cringed when the hunter went back into the cell block, slamming every door loudly.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

Jack and Willow walked through the woods in silence until they reached a grouping of building.

"This way," Jack ordered while he pulled her arm.

The pair entered an apartment building and climbed the stairs to second level. As they walked down the hallway, Willow noticed the lack of people, but didn't say anything to Jack. When he walked into an apartment, he knocked her out with a blow to the head.

"Martinez, let's get back to Woodbury."

Jack had found Woodbury and the people there instantly took to him. All he had to do was convince Milton and Andrea that he was a good guy.

"Who is this?" Andrea asked when Jack and Martinez returned.

"My ex, Willow."

"Wait, the person you kept looking for?"

"Yeah, I'm not going to do anything. I just wanted to make sure she was safe."

"Where'd you find her?"

"A prison; but she was left alone a few miles away."

Andrea didn't believe Jack. She and Milton had taken to co-leading the Woodbury survivors; but she was debating on what she would do.

Since Jack said 'prison', she knew that Willow was with Rick. Andrea met with Milton once Jack locked Willow in an interrogation room.

"Milton, I need to leave in the middle of the night."

"You know her?"

"The group she's with."

"Do it. Let's not shed blood if we don't have to."

"Andrea," Martinez interrupted.

"You're going to need to kill someone," she said.

"Jack?"

"He's loosing his mind. Bringing Willow back here will do nothing but harm us. We need to protect ourselves."

"I'll do it."

In the middle of the night, Andrea and Milton entered the interrogation room. Willow looked up at the pair through a swollen eye.

Jack had already started to beat her.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Andrea said softly when Willow flinched.

Milton untied Willow from the chair and helped her to stand. Andrea led the pair to a car outside.

"I'll be back before dawn."

Andrea drove through the gate out of Woodbury and over to the prison; where Maggie was taking watch.

"Drive on up," Maggie said quickly when she saw Willow.

Carol opened the internal gate and waited for Maggie before locking it.

"Carol, go get my dad and Rick," Maggie said calmly.

"She was beaten by Jack."

"How did you know she's with us?"

"Jack said she was with a group at a prison."

Andrea and Maggie looked up when Carol re-emerged with Rick and Hershel. Willow tried to get out of the car, but collapsed a foot away. "I got you," Rick confirmed when he reached her. "You took a beating."

Hershel's fingers prodded gently against her bruises. Willow winced every once in a while. The group heard the door open and close before seeing Merle walking up.

"Andrea," he greeted nicely.

"Merle."

"What happened?"

Andrea told the small group about how Jack kept leaving Woodbury to find Willow, and how she and Milton got Willow out of impending torture.

"That's why I came here."

"My brudder will wan' ta kill Jack, ya know tha', right?"

"Jack and Martinez will probably go looking for Willow in a few hours. During the search, Martinez will kill him." The group looked at Andrea as if she was insane. "I would give Daryl, or you Willow, the chance, but he could escape. This will be easier."

"Thank you," came a hoarse whisper.

"You're welcome. I should be going now, before Jack finds out anything."

"Stay safe, Andrea. If you want to rejoin us, you're more than welcomed."

"Thank you, Rick."

With that, Andrea got in the car and drove back through the gates, returning to Woodbury.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

"Shit!" Jack yelled in the early morning.

Willow was gone, and he was pissed. Jack went in search for either Martinez or Andrea; he needed to find Willow.

"Andrea," he called out when she exited a building.

"Yeah?"

"Willow's gone."

"Martinez and I will help you; give me a couple of minutes and we'll head out."

At the prison, Willow had slept in the main sitting area. By the time breakfast was at one of the tables.

"Where you goin' liddol bridder?" Merle asked loudly.

"It's morning; I'm goin' to fin' Willow."

Thankfully, when Daryl stepped into the area, he noticed the blond eating some breakfast. He dropped his crossbow and stalked toward her.

"How'd you get here?" he asked as she stood.

"Andrea."

"Jack's in Woodbury?"

"Not much longer," Rick answered. "Andrea plans on killing him."

Daryl nodded. He held onto Willow while looking at the injuries on her face.

"Nothing permanent," Willow smiled.

Daryl returned the smile and gently kissed her lips and cheeks. "I'm close to locking you in a cell to keep you with me."

"That's impossible during the zombie apocalypse, and you know it. But now, I will stay here for a long time."

Andrea, Martinez, and Jack walked through the woods, trying to find Willow.

"I don't see any tracks," Jack stated.

"She has to be around here," Andrea said.

But before anyone knew, Jack spun around and shot her in the stomach, and Martinez killed him with a head shot.

"Do it," Andrea garbled.

"I'm sorry."

"Keep everyone safe."

The shot echoed between the trees.

Martinez made his way back to the town. He met Milton and told him what had happened.

"Okay. I want to go to the prison and tell them what happened. Then we'll see what we can do."


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

As the days passed, Willow and Daryl took watch together and slept in the same cell. Daryl and Merle would go hunting in the early morning.

"It was a good thing that nothing got broken," Willow smiled to Hershel as he checked her wounds.

"Well, you still have some healing, but give it a few more days."

"Hey, a car is coming up the path!" Carl yelled from outside.

Hershel, Carol, and Willow moved outside to see what was going on. The car was familiar to everyone; it was the one that Andrea drove Willow back in.

But Andrea wasn't in the car.

"Who are you?" Rick asked the white guy.

"He helped me," Willow stated in disbelief.

"Yes, I was there. I'm Milton, I helped Phillip, then Andrea, with Woodbury."

"You worked with the Governor?"

"Yes, but only with research and survival of the town."

"And who are you?" Daryl questioned the second guy.

"People call me Martinez. I'm one of the few muscle that stayed in the town."

"But you came here with the Governor. You tried to get in," Rick said with recognition.

"We wanted to inform you that Jack's dead," Milton said.

"Thank you."

"Before I killed Jack, he shot Andrea," added Martinez.

The prison group looked at each other sadly.

"Thank you for telling us."

"We were hoping that we could join forces."

"How so?"

"We only have a few guns, mostly elderly and kids. People who have no weapon experience."

"And since you have this place, we could join you, combine our skills with yours."

"Give us a few minutes." Rick nodded at the group. "Can we trust them?"

"I don't know. They could turn out to be like the Governor," Michonne said while keeping an eye on the Woodbury pair.

"Maybe, but they wouldn't have come all the way here if they wanted to kill us."

"Do we want to take the risk? They said elderly."

"And they'll die and turn. Especially if it's during the night."

"But they might have a lot of ammo."

"Willow?"

"I say we can trust them; but we could always send a few of us to make sure of everything."

"Anyone object?" Rick waited. But when no one spoke up, he continued. "Michonne, Daryl, and Willow, go to Woodbury. If everything checks out, bring them back here."

By the end of the night, the prison was filled with kids, elderly, more supplies, and a few extra gun handlers. Rick oversaw everyone while Tyrese, Sasha, Michonne, Carol, and Beth helped move people into the cells.

"I see everything went well."

Willow joined Rick in the caged gangway.

"We're going to have to watch the elderly."

"Usually do."

"Some had cancer before the fall. Without treatment, they'll be close to death soon."

"I'll make the announcement about locking the doors. Come on, let's get inside before the hunter comes to find you."

Days passed.

Months.

The elderly were put down once they died. The children started to grow accustomed to using guns and knives. Everyone from the original group kept to themselves.

"Willow, can we talk?" Daryl asked.

"Sure."

The pair walked through the crop field to the dog runs.

"You know how much I love you, right?"

"Yeah."

"We may not live much longer, but I want to prove to everyone that you got me to become human and fall in love. Will you marry me?"

"Yes, I'll marry you."

"I love you, Willow."

"I love you, too, Daryl."

**The End**


End file.
